Page 36 of Snowbound Threat

“I know that. I believe it.” She put her forearms on her knees. “I need you to help, though. Not stay silent.”

“If Caleb comes by and asks me himself, I’ll tell him.” Dad lifted his chin. “Until then, things should stay as they are. It’s safer for everyone.”

Tessa sat back in the chair. She wanted to argue, but what was the point? All that would end up happening was that she would get frustrated with him and sound like a daughter who wanted her way.

“You know what? I’ll come back later, or tomorrow when you’re released. Why don’t you just text me or call if you need something. Okay?” She grabbed her coat and purse and went to the door.

“Tessa.”

She knew that tone, but she wasn’t going to pretend things were fine when they weren’t. “I need to go check on Ian. Make sure he’s all right. Caleb should be back from mailing that package soon, and I want to help him if I can.”

“It’s dangerous. You need to stay out of it.”

She looked back at him. “I was there, facing those gunmen. I’m already in it.”

Tessa shut the door behind her and headed for her car, driving home with worship music blasting. It reminded her of the day she’d nearly mopped Caleb to death.

Just a couple of days ago, and yet it felt like far longer. In a way he’d been part of her life forever. In other ways he was a stranger. She knew she wanted to help him, and not just so that he would be free to consider a future with her.

He’d kissed her, and she wasn’t naïve in thinking that meant a lifelong commitment had been set. Some men might be like that, but for most a kiss was simply a kiss. For her it had beensomekiss. The kind that had blown her away and upended herlife the way everything else had right now—in the best kind of way.

He needed the chance to get his life back before he could choose what he wanted for the next season.

She knew what she wanted—a husband, a family of her own with kids running around and a house they could make a home. But Caleb had to choose. She was old school enough that she wasn’t going to be able to convince him to stay, or “make” him fall in love with her. She could show him it would be worth it if he did, but he was the one who had to pursue her. Not just making the first move but leading the whole relationship.

She pulled into his drive and spotted the sheriff’s car in front of the house. Pops sat on the porch, the sheriff on the Adirondack rocker beside him. Two older men shooting the breeze with mugs of coffee in one hand, but for some reason she didn’t get the sense that was what was happening here.

Tessa parked and walked over. “Everything okay?”

Pops winked at her, something she wasn’t sure the sheriff could see. “All good, Tess. Thanks. Coffee is in the pot if you want some.”

She set her purse inside the front door, but closed it and didn’t go in. “How are things, Sheriff Cartwright? Did you manage to find the person who broke into my house?”

He hesitated a second, and she knew he’d heard the dig in that question. She already knew the answer to it. “Been busy, but one of my deputies is looking at your doorbell footage. We’re not sure he’s local, though. Might be tough to track him down since this isn’t like the TV. Got no access to ‘facial recognition’ software”—he made air quotes—“so we’ll have to get his identity old school.”

“I hope you’re able to find him.”

“Could be we already did, and we just don’t know it yet.” He rocked back on the chair. “Found a cabin I believe is a popularspot for hunters to shelter in bad weather or have a hot meal. One of those shared places. Would you know about something like that, Tessa?”

She had been to one recently but needed to not incriminate herself in a crime she might be an accessory to without realizing it.

“Dad tried to take me hunting once, but that’s the only time I ever went.” She shrugged. “It could be like the place where I found Dad, but I was only there to pick him up and I was focused on getting him to the hospital as fast as I could.”

“The whole place burned to the ground. Someone worked hard to destroy it completely, and what was inside.” The sheriff looked between her and Pops, probably trying to see if they were going to react to what he was saying.

He’d jump to concluding they were involved in something nefarious, even if they’d all known each other Tessa’s whole life and she’d have said they were law abiding, good folks.

He said, “Found three bodies inside. That FBI agent you met at the hospital, the one looking for Caleb? He looked at the victims and let us know that they were likely tortured before the cabin was set on fire. Whoever killed them wanted information desperately enough to hurt those men to get it. They probably burned them alive because they wouldn’t talk. Or did it just out of spite.”

“That’s what the agent said?” Sure her voice had a tone. But was she really supposed to believe that Caleb would do something like that?

She wanted to tell the sheriff that she’d seen Caleb kill those two men at the cabin before any kind of conversation, and certainly no interrogation had happened—or torture. But she couldn’t admit she’d seen Caleb when the FBI was hunting him, or she’d be questioned about him. And she wasn’t going to lie if she could help it.

“Caleb is a dangerous man.” The sheriff stood. “I’m sorry, Ian, but it’s true. We need to find him. The FBI is here looking for him because they believe he might’ve come home. I need you to call me if he shows up. There’s no telling what will happen to the two of you if the situation goes wrong. You might think you’re safe, but he could turn on you at any moment.”

Tessa wanted to say all kinds of things, most of which would’ve been sarcastic and probably not helpful. Instead, she said, “We will make sure we’re careful, Sheriff. Thank you for your concern.”

He needed to leave before Caleb got back from town.